


Rejected

by Tasfanfics



Category: Divergent Series - Veronica Roth
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-08
Updated: 2019-01-26
Packaged: 2019-07-28 05:03:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16234751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tasfanfics/pseuds/Tasfanfics
Summary: He’s every girl’s dream undoubtedly - smart, strong, brave, owner of a successful company...not to mention hot. But dreams don’t come true like that, at least not for me, plain average me.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> There most probably will be a chapter 2 from Tobias' POV!

   He’s every girl’s dream undoubtedly - smart, strong, brave, owner of a successful company...not to mention  _ hot _ . But dreams don’t come true like that, at least not for me, plain average me. I’m the head of the IT team, and I’ve been with Dauntless Inc. since the very beginning. In fact, I installed every technological device in the building  _ all alone  _ after hours because I was - and still am - very smitten with Tobias Eaton, but he doesn’t seem to notice me for more than I am.

 

   Well, that makes sense. Why would he notice me anyways? It’s not like I’m some extraordinary woman, perhaps the only thing distinguishing me from most other women being that I value intelligence over physical appearances, yet I can’t stop myself from fixing my blouse and pencil skirt as I hold two cups of coffee on my way to his office. He had called asking me to personally come fix some program that stopped working all of a sudden, and me being me, I left everything at hand for him.

 

   I knock on the door before entering, and as usual, I’m met with the sight of him almost diving into the papers on his desk, his neck craned in such a way that would give him aches in a year or so, but he’s still handsome, the edges of his tattoo peeking from under his dress shirt’s collar. 

 

“Mr.Eaton?” I speak tentatively, not wanting to disturb him. My voice comes out calm and steady unlike my heartbeat which seems to be pulsating to the rhythm of a rock song.

 

“Tris,” he says irritatedly, pausing to glance at me briefly before burying his face back into the stack of papers, “Take a look at my laptop. The program I was working on quit while I was in the middle of an important task, so see if you can recover the files, too.”

 

“Sure thing,” I say smiling though I know he’s not looking. “I brought you a coffee...I know Mondays are rough.”

 

_ Idiot. Who says that, Tris?  _

 

Tobias looks up at me, flashing a small smile.“Thank you. That’s nice of you, which reminds me...please take a seat.” 

 

   He closes one of the folders he’s holding, cracking his knuckles before he takes a sip of his coffee and looks at me like he’s contemplating whether to tell me something or not.

 

“You have shown excellence in every situation you’ve been put through, and you’ve been with Dauntless ever since we opened. I watched you grow into the position you’re in right now, and that’s why...” He pauses. “I want to offer you to be the manager of our newest branch in New York.”

 

I feel like I just got punched in the gut. Moving away this far from everything I’ve ever known, moving away from  _ him. _ I should be happy because that’s what people feel when they are presented with such opportunities; they don’t feel miserable like I do.

 

“Tobi- Mr. Eat-”

 

I always seem to not know whether the line between professionalism and friendship has been crossed between us.

 

“It’s okay, Tris. We’ve known each other for so long now, you can drop the formalities when it’s just the two of us,” he encourages, laughing at my troubled face.

 

“Alright...Tobias, I don’t mean to be rude, but…” I say, “but I’m happy with where I am. I don’t want to move.” 

 

I try my best to offer a genuine smile even though my heart feels like it’s being shred into pieces. All I want to do is tell him I love him from all my heart, have loved him for six years now.

 

His face contorts in some disappointed expression,but then he clears his throat, recovering quickly. “May I ask why is your decision so?”

 

“I...I don’t want to move away from everything I know. We grew together here,”  _ Great job at being subtle, Tris.  _ “It doesn’t seem right to leave after all these years.”

 

He laughs, but this time, I’m not sure I like it. It’s like he’s mocking me.

 

“Grew together. Nice one, Tris.”

 

I manage a small smile, but I’m sure it came off more as a grimace because he turns serious again.

 

“Do you wanna say something, Tris?”

 

_ That I love you so much it hurts. That just a simple hello from you makes my day better. That I wish I could be the one you love. _

 

I smile again and stand up, fixing my skirt. “No. I’ll return your laptop in a couple of hours, and thank you again for offering me such a beautiful opportunity.”

 

“You’re welcome, and thank you in advance...for the laptop.”

 

   He goes serious again, his expression slack as he stares into whatever papers he has between his hands as I leave the office, tears burning my eyes. When did I become such a fool for love? I was always keen on focusing on my career and never catching feelings for someone, but with Tobias it seems like  _ the feelings caught me instead.  _

 

   I make my way into my office, clearing space to work on his laptop, and indeed, as promised, I return it in a couple of hours - two to be precise. In these two hours, I gained some type of confidence I didn’t know I had in me, so when I knocked at his door for the second time that day, I entered with a newfound purpose inside of me. My whole body beat to the same rhythm towards him, and I was going to tell him because somehow it’s better than living isolated in my feelings. Plus, how many stories of girls like me have occured which end with them confessing and having a happy ending with their one true love; maybe, I could be one of them too.

 

“Tobias,” I say, “I need to tell you something important... if you have time.”

 

He doesn’t look up.  _ Maybe that’s better, Tris.  _ “Sure, go ahead.”

 

“I don’t know how to say this without it being weird bu-”

 

“You have feelings for me…” he continues my statement, and I stand there mouth agape, eyes wide while he laughed, still not peering at me.

 

I’m still shocked when he looks up, his face suddenly equally shocked and serious. Then, he says: “Oh my god, you’re not serious, are you?”

 

“I mean…” I gulp. “I was...I was going to say that.” I fiddle with the cuffs of my blouse. “I was going to say that I have feelings for you. Have had them...for a long time.”

 

He seems nervous, but so do I because I suddenly feel the bad ending looming over me. 

 

“Tris, I don’t mean to upset you...but,” he says, unsure what to say next, but I know what he’ll say . So I save him the embarrassment.

 

“But you don’t have feelings for me.” Somehow I pronounce the words even though my heart is clenching with anguish. My next words come out in a jumble from talking too fast.  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. Forget about it, it’s not important. Just see if your program is working again and if you need anything, you know my room number.” 

 

   I try a smile before I walk out of the door, each step feeling like a mile. I don’t wait for his response; I wait for nothing before I’m sitting back at my desk, tears rolling slowly down my face. Suddenly, my wide room doesn’t seem spacious anymore, and I feel trapped in a painful cage made of my own red blood and salty tears. _ I can’t stay in this room any longer _ . Rushing out, I take the elevator, which seems to take its sweet time arriving at my floor before I step in, pressing the button for the hundredth floor - the roof.

 

   The sky is a mixture of blue, pink, orange, and purple blended together magically forming the daily painting of a sunset, and although the sun is still in the sky, it feels like a million clouds are looming over my head, threatening to swallow me in their darkness. I don’t know what’s paining me more: the fact that deep down I know I’m not desirable in any way or that Tobias specifically doesn’t love me back? Both. Definitely both. But then again, I don’t think I would’ve cared if no one liked me if Tobias did. 

 

   I don’t know how long I sit on the dusty concrete of the roof, but it must be  _ at least _ a half hour because the sky is turning into a pit of dark blue. By the time I stand up and brush at my skirt, I feel drained, and I’m sure my cheeks are blotchy and my eyes red. Let’s just say I didn’t know I could be this pathetic over a rejection, but I don’t allow myself to dwell over it as I wait for the elevator once more.However, this time, when the doors slide open, I’m surprised to see Tobias.

 

“Mr.Eaton?” It’s best to maintain professionality from now on.

 

“Tris? What are you doing here?” he asks, his eyebrows drawn together.

 

I nod slightly -probably to reassure myself in some way - wiping away at my damp cheeks. “Just came to clear my mind a bit,” I rasp.  _ I wish my voice didn’t become hoarse after crying because then, it would’ve been easier to hide my pain. _

 

“Are you okay?” He reaches a hand to my cheek, and it takes all my self-control to not cry again.

 

All I manage is a small smile as I practically shove myself in the elevator. “Have a good evening, Mr.Eaton.”

 

“You, too, Tris.”

  
  
  
  



	2. Rejected (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the continuation of Rejected from Tobias' POV. As always, feedback is appreciated :)

I remember her from the first day she started working for me, sweet, polite, but reserved. Tris was unlike any of the other women I interviewed before, ambitious, confident in her knowledge and abilities, and that’s exactly what I was looking for. The next thing that proved to me my decision in hiring her was correct was the fact that she didn’t crack under pressure, the first day enough evidence.

 

_    Dauntless had two floors in the new headquarters, and a generous amount of offices in need of preparation. The company that had initially accepted to be responsible of installing all technological devices cancelled at the last minute, saying they had a shortage of workers due to a bout of flu, and as I stood fuming in my office, a knock startled me. _

 

_ “Mr.Eaton?” a sweet voice asked. _

 

_ To my surprise, I found Tris standing in the doorway of my office, looking concerned - probably from my earlier fit of rage just seconds ago, which consisted of throwing everything off of my desk. _

 

_ “Yes, Tris?” I asked, my voice strained, taut like an elastic ready to snap at any moment. _

 

_ “Can I help with anything?”  _

 

_ Well, I didn’t need to answer because Tris was already crouched on the floor, picking things up. _

 

_ “Hey, go wash your face or something. Relax. I’ll clean up here,” she said gently. _

 

_ “Tris, just go home.” I instantly cringe at how harsh my voice came out, especially when she flinches slightly, clearing her throat. _

 

_ “I was going home anyways. I just got worried and thought I would help,” she said, throwing a smile at me, “I’m sorry if I trespassed any boundaries.”  _

 

_ She straightens, picking her purse from the floor to leave when I find my voice again. _

 

_ “I’m sorry. I just...the company that was responsible of installing all technological devices basically bailed out on us, and tomorrow we have this meeting with one of the most annoying companies. If Eric sees us like this, he’ll never stop talking about it, maybe even releasing the story to the press to sabotage any chances of success for us.” _

 

_ Wow, she listened to all of that. Suddenly, I can see a shift in her mood, her eyes glazed over with something strong...determination.  _

 

_ “I can do it.” _

 

_ “What?” _

 

_ I stare at her dumbfounded. She’s got to be kidding me right now. _

 

_ She just shrugged, a languid smile playing on her lips. “I can install the devices. I had a lot of practice previously, so I should be able to do the job. I’ll try at least.” _

 

_ “But it’s late already!”  _

 

_ “Don’t worry. It’s safe in here...safer than other places,” she said, “Just give me a minute to change into something more comfortable.” _

 

_     And indeed, five minutes later, she’s standing in front of me in a tank top and sweatpants, hair that was previously parted in the middle and gathered into a ponytail high in a messy bun, but she looks adorable. _

 

_ “You get a change of clothes with you?” I ask, intrigued for some reason. _

 

_ “I...this is actually for after work because I don’t stay in one place only. It’s complicated, but maybe I can tell you while I work...I mean if you’re staying,” she rambles for a bit. If it wasn’t her, I would’ve probably felt agitated by now. _

 

_ “Of course I’m staying, Tris! I can’t let you stay here alone.” _

 

_      As we enter office by office, I’m mesmerized by her skills, not to mention the way she’s not scared to give out orders. She’ll quickly climb the ladder from being a normal employee to a leader, I’m sure. While she works with cables and devices, she tells me her parents are divorced, and her mom is sick with cancer. That’s why she gets a bag of clothes with her because she goes to visit her mom after work, but she never knows if she’ll stay the night or not. I also find out she still lives with her dad because he didn’t want to feel lonely after he divorced her mother. By the time she finishes every office and meeting room in the two floors, her eyes are barely open, and she is struggling to walk properly. _

 

_ “Thank you so much, Tris. I owe you one.” I pat her shoulder, my hand moving on its own. _

 

_ “You’re welcome. I loved helping.” _

 

_ She smiles despite her drowsiness and says she needs to head out now to see her mom, but she’ll see me tomorrow.  _

 

   I’m broken from my daydream when the elevator doors part, and I come face to face with  _ her. _ This time, though, I’m met with bloodshot eyes and blotchy cheeks; it rips my heart into pieces knowing  _ I  _ caused this pain that seems to radiate off of her.

 

“Tris? What are you doing here?” I ask.

 

She nods, and the gesture is so out of place that I know she’s struggling for words.  _ Damn you, Tobias. Why would you hurt her like that? _

 

Finally, after what seems like an eternity, she speaks, her voice raspy. “Just came to clear my mind a bit.”

 

I can’t control myself anymore, so I reach a hand to her face, blurting out: “Are you okay?”

 

   I can feel the slight tremble beneath my palm. I can see her eyes drinking me in like it’s the last time she’ll be this close to me. I can hear the uneven breaths she’s desperately trying to draw in without grabbing attention, _my attention_ , and it almost makes me press my lips to hers because I can’t stand seeing her this hurt anymore.

 

But then she takes a shaky step backwards, her heels clicking on the concrete. “Have a good evening, Mr. Eaton,” she says, stepping into the elevator.

 

“You, too, Tris.”

 

   The elevator doors shut close, and I’m left gazing at the metal instead of my beautiful Tris. Maybe it’s my turn to take her place and cry now, and it would be fair, so fair that my tears spill from my eyes before I allow them to. The sky is dark, and there are no stars, no moon. Everything is dull, just like my life. It could’ve been an hour or more - I would never know - before I made my way down to the now dimly lit offices. The last of the employees are ready to head out, and I pass by Tris’ office, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. A foolish thought, really because even if she was there, what would I say. But she isn’t there anyways; it saves me the awkwardness.

 

   I finally make it to my office again, almost ready to head out when an envelope catches my eye.  _ That wasn’t here earlier _ . 

 

**_Dear Mr.Eaton,_ **

****

**_I would like to take the promotion you offered me earlier today. After giving it more thought, I think it’s a great step in my career, and I would like to make the move._ **

 

**_Best regards,_ **

**_IT Head, Beatrice Prior_ **

 

I feel my stomach lurch as I put down the letter. She chose to move away from me  _ like I had initially planned _ . Logically, I shouldn’t feel this sad because I was the one who gave her that offer in the first place, but there’s something about  _ her  _ accepting to move away after she refused that makes me mad, mat at myself. Before I know it, my hand has collided with everything on the desk, sending my belongings to the floor with a loud crash. My breaths come and go in harsh spurts, and for a moment all I can hear is the ringing of my ears before the clicking of heels manages to break through my bubble. 

 

   For a fleeting instant, I think it’s my imagination, but then, she peers from the doorway with her sullen eyes, reminding me of the suffering I inflicted on her. And I’m suddenly even more mad that I rejected her when I see the fresh tears that she rapidly brushes away as she walks into my office. Fuming, I grab her arm, forcing her out of the office. I won’t let her walk to her own misery, enough pain for the both of us. All I see is red...

  
  
  


            ...until the vague sound of a whimper and a trembling beneath my grip cuts through my haze. I stagger backwards, alarmed at the sight before me.

 

   Tris is shaking, muffled wails escaping her parted lips as her arms surround herself, and she crouches to the ground. “Stop…. please, stop,” she whispers.

 

“Tris, I’m...I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to...I swear I won’t hurt you,” I raise my hands in surrender, hoping to show her I won’t hurt her. Almost immediately, my panic is overridden by a darker realisation.  _ She’s a victim...and  _ **_I_ ** _ triggered a panic attack.  _

 

I stay back, hoping to allow her time to calm down, and eventually, her sobs subside, her arms rubbing themselves in an attempt to calm down. 

 

“Tris, I’m sorry-” I say immediately, but she cuts me off.

 

She stands up, her legs seemingly wobbly. “Tobias, it’s not your fault. I-I shouldn’t have come in when I knew you didn’t want me here. I apologize.” 

 

I don’t hold off any longer. I gather her in my arms, pressing her flush to my chest, aware of the new sobs that rattle from her throat, but this time, she doesn’t push me away. She wraps her arms around my middle until we’re almost one being.

 

“I lied,” I blurt out before I can stop myself, and she detangles herself from my embrace, peering at me quizzically. 

 

“What?”

 

“I lied to you...about not liking you.”I chuckle lightly, feeling stupid for lying after saying the words out loud now.

 

“Oh.” She shifts from leg to leg. “I thought...I just thought I wasn’t good enough for you,” she admits painfully.

 

My eyebrows furrow. “Why would you think that?” 

 

“I mean...look at me,” she says gesturing to herself.

 

In an instant, I cup her face in my hands, pressing my lips to hers in an attempt to pour all of my emotions in it. When we break apart, leaning our foreheads against each others’, I whisper: “We need to talk about a lot, but for now, know I like you.” 

 

“But-” I silence her, pressing a finger gingerly to her soft lips.

 

“Later. Let me drive you home, okay?” 

 

She nods, and I take her hand in mine gently, leading us towards the parking lot. We may not be perfect, but we both like each other very much. Whatever tomorrow brings, we’ll take...together.

 


	3. Chapter 2 [Alternate Ending]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Tris hadn't entered Tobias' office?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After rereading chapter 2, I realized that the ending was a cliché/extremely romantic, so I wrote an alternate ending to it.

I remember her from the first day she started working for me, sweet, polite, but reserved. Tris was unlike any of the other women I interviewed before, ambitious, confident in her knowledge and abilities, and that’s exactly what I was looking for. The next thing that proved to me my decision in hiring her was correct was the fact that she didn’t crack under pressure, the first day enough evidence.

 

_    Dauntless had two floors in the new headquarters, and a generous amount of offices in need of preparation. The company that had initially accepted to be responsible of installing all technological devices cancelled at the last minute, saying they had a shortage of workers due to a bout of flu, and as I stood fuming in my office, a knock startled me. _

 

_ “Mr.Eaton?” a sweet voice asked. _

 

_ To my surprise, I found Tris standing in the doorway of my office, looking concerned - probably from my earlier fit of rage just seconds ago, which consisted of throwing everything off of my desk. _

 

_ “Yes, Tris?” I asked, my voice strained, taut like an elastic ready to snap at any moment. _

 

_ “Can I help with anything?”  _

 

_ Well, I didn’t need to answer because Tris was already crouched on the floor, picking things up. _

 

_ “Hey, go wash your face or something. Relax. I’ll clean up here,” she said gently. _

 

_ “Tris, just go home.” I instantly cringe at how harsh my voice came out, especially when she flinches slightly, clearing her throat. _

 

_ “I was going home anyways. I just got worried and thought I would help,” she said, throwing a smile at me, “I’m sorry if I trespassed any boundaries.”  _

 

_ She straightens, picking her purse from the floor to leave when I find my voice again. _

 

_ “I’m sorry. I just...the company that was responsible of installing all technological devices basically bailed out on us, and tomorrow we have this meeting with one of the most annoying companies. If Eric sees us like this, he’ll never stop talking about it, maybe even releasing the story to the press to sabotage any chances of success for us.” _

 

_ Wow, she listened to all of that. Suddenly, I can see a shift in her mood, her eyes glazed over with something strong...determination.  _

 

_ “I can do it.” _

 

_ “What?” _

 

_ I stare at her dumbfounded. She’s got to be kidding me right now. _

 

_ She just shrugged, a languid smile playing on her lips. “I can install the devices. I had a lot of practice previously, so I should be able to do the job. I’ll try at least.” _

 

_ “But it’s late already!”  _

 

_ “Don’t worry. It’s safe in here...safer than other places,” she said, “Just give me a minute to change into something more comfortable.” _

 

_     And indeed, five minutes later, she’s standing in front of me in a tank top and sweatpants, hair that was previously parted in the middle and gathered into a ponytail high in a messy bun, but she looks adorable. _

 

_ “You get a change of clothes with you?” I ask, intrigued for some reason. _

 

_ “I...this is actually for after work because I don’t stay in one place only. It’s complicated, but maybe I can tell you while I work...I mean if you’re staying,” she rambles for a bit. If it wasn’t her, I would’ve probably felt agitated by now. _

 

_ “Of course I’m staying, Tris! I can’t let you stay here alone.” _

 

_      As we enter office by office, I’m mesmerized by her skills, not to mention the way she’s not scared to give out orders. She’ll quickly climb the ladder from being a normal employee to a leader, I’m sure. While she works with cables and devices, she tells me her parents are divorced, and her mom is sick with cancer. That’s why she gets a bag of clothes with her because she goes to visit her mom after work, but she never knows if she’ll stay the night or not. I also find out she still lives with her dad because he didn’t want to feel lonely after he divorced her mother. By the time she finishes every office and meeting room in the two floors, her eyes are barely open, and she is struggling to walk properly. _

 

_ “Thank you so much, Tris. I owe you one.” I pat her shoulder, my hand moving on its own. _

 

_ “You’re welcome. I loved helping.” _

 

_ She smiles despite her drowsiness and says she needs to head out now to see her mom, but she’ll see me tomorrow.  _

 

   I’m broken from my daydream when the elevator doors part, and I come face to face with  _ her. _ This time, though, I’m met with bloodshot eyes and blotchy cheeks; it rips my heart into pieces knowing  _ I  _ caused this pain that seems to radiate off of her.

 

“Tris? What are you doing here?” I ask.

 

She nods, and the gesture is so out of place that I know she’s struggling for words.  _ Damn you, Tobias. Why would you hurt her like that? _

 

Finally, after what seems like an eternity, she speaks, her voice raspy. “Just came to clear my mind a bit.”

 

I can’t control myself anymore, so I reach a hand to her face, blurting out: “Are you okay?”

 

   I can feel the slight tremble beneath my palm. I can see her eyes drinking me in like it’s the last time she’ll be this close to me. I can hear the uneven breaths she’s desperately trying to draw in without grabbing attention, _my attention_ , and it almost makes me press my lips to hers because I can’t stand seeing her this hurt anymore.

 

But then she takes a shaky step backwards, her heels clicking on the concrete. “Have a good evening, Mr. Eaton,” she says, stepping into the elevator.

 

“You, too, Tris.”

 

   The elevator doors shut close, and I’m left gazing at the metal instead of my beautiful Tris. Maybe it’s my turn to take her place and cry now, and it would be fair, so fair that my tears spill from my eyes before I allow them to. The sky is dark, and there are no stars, no moon. Everything is dull, just like my life. It could’ve been an hour or more - I would never know - before I made my way down to the now dimly lit offices. The last of the employees are ready to head out, and I pass by Tris’ office, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. A foolish thought, really because even if she was there, what would I say. But she isn’t there anyways; it saves me the awkwardness.

 

   I finally make it to my office again, almost ready to head out when an envelope catches my eye.  _ That wasn’t here earlier _ . 

 

**_Dear Mr.Eaton,_ **

****

**_I would like to take the promotion you offered me earlier today. After giving it more thought, I think it’s a great step in my career, and I would like to make the move._ **

 

**_Best regards,_ **

**_IT Head, Beatrice Prior_ **

 

I feel my stomach lurch as I put down the letter. She chose to move away from me  _ like I had initially planned _ . Logically, I shouldn’t feel this sad because I was the one who gave her that offer in the first place, but there’s something about  _ her  _ accepting to move away after she refused that makes me mad, mad at myself. Before I know it, my hand has collided with everything on the desk, sending my belongings to the floor with a loud crash. My breaths come and go in harsh spurts, and for a moment all I can hear is the ringing of my ears before the clicking of heels manages to break through my bubble. 

  
   For a fleeting instant, I think it’s my imagination, but then, she peers from the doorway with her sullen eyes, reminding me of the suffering I inflicted on her, and leaves, not sparing me a second glance. That’s it...that was her  _ goodbye _ , and I instantly want to gather her in my arms and tell her all about the melodies my heart strums for hers. But I know, deep down, that this is the right thing to do. 


End file.
